Truth or Dare
by BirdOfOrk
Summary: Emma and Hook find themselves drinking together. Emma challenges him to a game of Truth or Dare. Takes place after "The Evil Queen" S2E20.


**I own nothing.**

Emma shoved her hands into her pockets, hunching her shoulders. She had the evening to herself since Henry was at dinner with Neal and Tamara.

"Operation Rattlesnake," he had called it. "It's like I'm undercover! Tamara won't suspect anything."

But he had still run into Neal's arms when they arrived at the loft. Tamara squeezed Henry's shoulder with a smile and they were off, Tamara and Neal hand in hand, with Henry chattering excitedly at his father.

Mary Margaret and David had been cooking together when Emma left half an hour later, unable to take any more of the not-so-subtle glances from her mother, who thought she was just jealous.

_Jealous_! What did she have to be jealous of? So her kid's father had a girlfriend. She hadn't seen the guy in ten years.

The Rabbit Hole came into view around the corner. Just a few drinks to help her relax, that's what she needed. She ducked into the dimly lit bar and headed for the corner seat, waving to Alice on the way.

"Usual?" the blonde asked.

"Yeah. Make it a double, will you?"

A minute later, Alice slid an extra tall vodka tonic across the bar.

"Cheers," Emma muttered before downing half.

"Rough day, beautiful?" a velvet voice said from behind.

Emma groaned as Hook slid onto the stool next to her. He already had a drink in hand—straight rum from the smell of it.

"Just leave me alone, Hook," she said without malice.

"Swan, I'm offended. It's been some time since our last…_liaison_. I thought you might miss me." He stroked his chin with a smirk.

"You wish," Emma snorted.

"Don't tell me you don't think of me, love." He leaned in. "We both know it'd be a lie."

Emma rolled her eyes again. Where did this guy come from? Oh wait—a _fairytale_.

"In your dreams, Hook."

He raised an eyebrow and grinned.

She took another sip of her drink, figured what the heck, and finished it off. Before Emma could flag down the bartender, Hook shouted, "Oi, Alice! Another one for Swan over here."

Alice brought over another drink for Emma and topped off Hook's rum.

"Leave the bottle, there's a love," Hook and Alice exchanged a grin that made Emma feel like she should look away. They were definitely sleeping together. The thought made her stomach churn for some reason.

Another patron caught Alice's attention and Emma and Hook were left alone.

"What's happened?" he asked softly.

"What makes you think something happened?"

"Well, the way you're sucking down that drink like your life depends on it, I'd say something's up."

"Maybe it's just because I have to talk to _you_."

It was Hook's turn to roll his eyes. "I'm trying to be friendly, Swan. And I know when you're lying. You might have a superpower, but you're still an open book to me."

"Fine then. 'I don't want to talk about it.' How's that for the truth?"

"Fair enough." He took large gulp from his glass, then fiddled with the tip of his hook. The silver metal caught a gleam from the lights behind the bar. It reminded Emma of the time on the beach in the Enchanted Forest where they had fought for the compass. Something had always bothered her about that battle.

"If we're being friendly…" she started. He looked at her curiously. "…how about a little game?"

* * *

"Alright, I'll play," he said when she explained the rules. They were simple enough. "However, what do you say we make this a little more interesting?"

She narrowed her eyes. "How so?"

"Well…" he smirked at her impatient look. "Drink if you pick dare and then hesitate. Same goes for truth, I suppose," he said thoughtfully, "and drink if you pick truth and you say something other than the truth."

"Easy enough," Emma's lips tipped up into a smile. She leaned in slowly. "I don't hesitate," she whispered in his ear.

Hook struggled to catch his breath when she left his personal space. "Alright," he forced his voice to be light. "I'll start with truth."

She thought for a moment, putting a finger to her chin and looking upwards. Her smile grew. "That fight, on the beach with Cora… why did you let me win?"

"What makes you think I let you win?" he scoffed.

"Drink."

"What? I didn't lie!"

"You said we couldn't say anything _other_ than the truth," she laughed.

He shook his head. How was it that she was always getting the better of him? Grumbling about cheaters, he sipped his rum.

"Just answer the question, Hook."

"On the beach," he sighed. "I wanted you to get back to your boy."

"And…" she pressed.

"And I didn't want to hurt you," he glared. "Are you trying to ruin my reputation, Swan?"

She eyed him, finally determining he was being honest. Perhaps he shouldn't have agreed to play this game, but it was her turn next. His secrets were worth learning a few of hers.

"Your turn. Choose wisely," he chuckled darkly.

"Truth," she said.

He was ready for her. "Why did you chain me up at the top of the beanstalk?"

She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

"Do I detect a hesitation?" he said gleefully.

She frowned and sipped at her drink, some fizzy thing that smelled horrible.

"I left you because I was afraid," she said quickly.

"Of…?" he led.

"Trusting you," she scowled. "Because I thought that I could."

The end of her sentence came out in a fast mumble. It was exactly as he suspected. He and Emma shared an inexplicable connection, even when they found themselves on opposite sides.

"Aye," he finally said. "You could have."

Emma pursed her lips. "That's not something I'm used to," she admitted. She ducked her head, shaking a lock of hair in front of her eyes. "Anyway. Truth or dare?"

Hook cocked his head. "Dare."

"See that guy over there? Older, with the hat?"

"Aye?"

"Buy him a drink. Like you would a woman, I mean."

"Swan, _no_. You can't be serious."

"Oh, I am. And that'll be a drink for you."

"The things I do for you," he muttered, finishing his drink.

* * *

Hook set down his empty glass with a loud clink and stalked over to the older man on the other end of the bar.

When he started talking, Emma watched the man's face turn to surprise then quickly to a frown as Hook put a hand on his shoulder. Hook's usual cheeky grin was plastered across his face until the man stood up abruptly. He was a few inches taller than the pirate, and at least a hundred fifty pounds heavier. If the scowl on his face was any indication, Hook's good looks weren't earning him any points. Emma laughed out loud when Hook scurried back to their end of the bar like he was being chased by the hounds of hell.

"What'd you say?" she demanded.

"If you want to know that, love, you'll have to ask me the next time I pick truth," he answered primly. "Your turn."

"Dare."

"I dare you to call me Killian for the rest of the evening," he said, staring her down.

"What kind of dare is that?"

He eyed her until she took a sip.

"I meant, 'what kind of dare is that, Killian?'"

He shrugged. "Perhaps if you used my given name you wouldn't think me such a villain."

"You are a villain, though."

"And yet here you are, playing a drinking game with Captain Hook," he said darkly. "Am I so villainous now?"

Emma took another drink instead of answering.

* * *

Over the next hour, Emma ended up singing a song along with the jukebox in the corner, trying to pick up the same old man that Hook had (until he responded a little too readily and found himself with one hand on her ass and a sharp hook at his neck), and sharing more of her secrets with Hook than she cared to remember.

Hook stole a cowboy hat from a drunk guy and had to wear it for the rest of the night, did a silly dance number (somehow managing to still look incredibly attractive) and told Emma bits of the story behind his quest for revenge against Mr. Gold.

* * *

"Dare," she said, raising her chin at him.

He leaned in. "I dare you to kiss me," he smirked, challenging her.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Seriously? Not a chance, Hook."

He raised an eyebrow. "Well, if you're not going to play by the rules…"

Emma took a drink, then bit her lip. Hesitantly, she took his hand, brushing her thumb over his knuckles. Killian felt her hand tremble slightly.

His stomach flipped as he watched her eyes change from haughty to vulnerable. His breath hitched in his throat when she slid closer and caught his eyes and held them.

Emma's lips twitched upwards in what was almost a smile, her face coming closer, closer... He closed his eyes.

When the kiss didn't come, he opened them. Emma was staring at him with a smirk on her face. She slowly, deliberately lifted his hand to her mouth and kissed the back of it.

Hook groaned. "No fair, Swan!"

"You didn't say where," she laughed.

"Next time I'll specify," he wiggled his eyebrows and she snorted.

He threw back what was left in his glass.

* * *

Watching his face as closely as she was, Emma thought she saw disappointment and…hurt?...flash through his eyes when he realized she wasn't going to kiss him. Perhaps she had played her part a little too well. Her hands still seemed to be trembling.

For once, she didn't mind his cheap shot at intimacy, if you could call it that. They were several drinks in and Emma was having fun—_fun!_—for once. Who would have thought that she could have such a good time with a pirate? Albeit a pirate who was witty and interesting and handsome…

* * *

"Why are you really here?"

"To drink," she tipped her glass at him.

"No, lass—let me rephrase that. Why are you drinking?"

"You're only allowed one question."

"Come on, Emma," he said.

"Henry's out to dinner with his dad and his dad's fiancé."

"And you're jealous," he guessed.

"Hardly," she snorted. "Ten years ago he sent me to jail for the crime he committed."

"So...bitter, then."

"_No!_ I just don't trust her. Tamara is up to something, I know it. No one believes me."

Hook took a drink to hide the surprise on his face. Gods but this woman was shrewd. "I believe you, Swan," he said finally.

"You do?"

"Aye."

She smiled crookedly and touched his forearm. "Thanks, Hoo—Killian." Her hand was warm, even through the fabric of his shirt. He inhaled sharply. "Don't mention it, love."

Emma glanced at her phone. "Oh my god, look at what time it is! I need to get home to Henry."

* * *

Hook's hand went to her back when she caught her heel against the lowest rung of the barstool and stumbled. "Alright there, love?"

They were face to face; Hook's eyes dropped to her lips. Emma was smiling—Hook was surprisingly fun and easy to talk to and for some reason, he made her feel safe. He also smelled ridiculously good and his lips looked soft and…

She caught herself leaning in and pulled back abruptly, slipping out of his near-embrace.

She cleared her throat. "I should go."

"As should I." He tossed a handful of gold coins on the bar. When Emma reached into her purse for money, it was his turn to put a hand on her wrist. "There's enough there for both of us."

She stilled. "Oh. Thank you."

"May I walk you home?" he asked hesitantly.

"Hoo—Killian, I'm not drunk,"

"I didn't say you were. A gentleman always walks a lady home."

"Oh," she said again. "Sure." It suddenly felt like they were on a date.

He held the door open for her and offered his arm when they were outside. Emma surprised herself by taking it without hesitation. That close, she smelled the faint leather, rum, and…lavender? scent that was uniquely him.

They walked in companionable silence for a few minutes until Hook said, "I dare you to find out what Tamara's up to."

"Working on it—Oh!" The wind snatched the scarf from around Emma's neck, blowing it backwards down the sidewalk.

"Don't move," Hook released her arm and retrieved the scarf from where it huddled against the side of the flower shop. On his way back, he wrapped it around his own neck.

"Hey, that's mine," she said when he took her arm again with no move to give it back.

"Pirate," he reminded her with a grin. "Here, I'll trade you." He took the cowboy hat off and settled it on Emma's head. "It looks better on you anyway." He snared a curl around his finger and tucked it behind her ear.

She adjusted the hat. It fit perfectly and she had to admit her red scarf looked at home around his neck. "Alright." She tried to sound grouchy.

When they reached the front door to Mary Margaret's apartment building they both stopped.

Emma met his startlingly blue gaze. "Thank you, Killian. For tonight, I mean. I had fun."

"Perhaps we could do it again sometime?" He sounded tentative and hopeful, not at all like a pirate captain hell bent on revenge.

"Oh, um. I'm not sure that's the best idea…"

He shrugged, a crooked smile on his face. "The offer stands. You know where to find me, Swan, should you change your mind." With a bow and a kiss pressed to the back of her hand, he was walking away.

Emma's heart raced. "Killian!"

"Aye, love?" he turned, unable to hide the hopeful look on his face.

Before she could talk herself out of it, Emma ran three steps forward and pressed a quick, chaste kiss to his lips. His look of surprise was totally worth it, she thought. That is, until a genuine grin spread across his face, like the sun emerging from behind clouds. The smile was worth it.

"Oh, and Killian?" she said when she was safely back at the front door. "I dare you to earn another." Her heart leapt with the realization that she wanted him to.

"As you wish."

* * *

Emma was still smiling like a fool when she unlocked the door to the loft.

"Emma, where have you been?" Mary Margaret said. "Wait—what were you…? Your cheeks are flushed—were you on a date?!"

Emma shrugged. "Nope. Just had a few drinks at the Rabbit Hole."

Mary Margaret eyed her in disbelief. "Well, whatever it was, you should do more of it. You look happy."

Emma ran up the metal stairs to her bedroom, afraid of the questions Mary Margaret would ask since she couldn't stop her lips from turning up into a grin.

She didn't think Hook would disappoint her.

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